Two recent graduates of Morrison High School, Morrison, IL, earned notable recognition from Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center (MVRBC.) The Blood Center established the Student IMPACT Award to honor students who show exemplary support of their blood supply. Blood products from MVRBC supply Morrison Community Hospital, among others. The 2020 recipients were Gracyn Schmidt, daughter of Shawnelle Soenksen and Kristopher Schmidt, and Hannah Wallander, daughter of Russ and Holly.
“Gracyn and Hannah have done something really special,” said Sharee Hoegerl, Recruitment Development Coordinator for MVRBC. “As a dedicated blood donor, each provided a resource that helps save lives at hospitals throughout our region.”
To earn an IMPACT Award, High School students complete one of the following activities:
- donate blood at least eight times
- recruit at least eight new blood donors
- host a blood drive in their community.
Student IMPACT Award recipients receive an Award Certificate and a Red Cord. It signifies connection between the donor, Blood Center, and patients, who have been helped by the student’s support of our community’s blood supply. With permission from their school, students may choose to wear the Red Cord in their high school graduation ceremony. Both girls wore the honor cord over their graduation gowns, on Sunday, May 24, 2020.
Students are eligible to begin donating blood at age 16 (with a signed parental permission form, provided by the Blood Center.) Most begin donating at a blood drive hosted by their high school.
Gracyn Schmidt
Hannah Wallander
